There are failure modes of elevator systems that result in passengers of elevators being trapped inside the elevator car. During this trapped passenger state, we have used remote monitoring to provide relief by means of two-way conversation between the elevator passengers and an attendant of the elevator system, e.g., via a dial up modem. A resident building monitor device makes a determination that there is a trapped passenger and dials a preconfigured telephone number to report the condition. A personal computer in a central monitoring center, which answers the call from the resident device, displays the trapped passenger alarm, building name and address plus the master identification and elevator number. The PC then prompts the operator to "pick-up" the handset. Immediately upon picking up the telephone, the operator will be talking to the trapped passenger. There is presently no facility to provide the operator with simultaneous knowledge as to any other cars which have trapped passengers in the same group of (up to eight) elevators in the building. When the operator hangs up the handset from the first voice contact, if there is a second trapped passenger pending, the PC will then display the second trapped passenger alarm and prompt pickup of the handset. This scenario will continue depending on how many trapped passenger conditions exist. All of the alarms and concomitant voice contacts will be accomplished in a single phone call. The resident device is in control of which elevator the operator converses with, based on the order the alarms are received.
In our system, the monitoring center attendant contacts a serviceman and provides assurances to the passenger while waiting for the arrival of the serviceman. This provides more comfort to the passenger than other systems in which communication is merely provided with the building superintendent. However, when the serviceman arrives he is unable to easily inform the passenger or the remote attendant of his arrival. In other systems, such as shown in Japanese Kokai 2-188384, communication is provided between the trapped passenger and either the remote attendant or the local building manager's office.